New.M, what a fine place and time to grow up in, what a great time that must have been. Bolinas is such a perfect haven, but I never visited it until I was an adult. What a totally great place it must have been to bang around in as a teenager -- and surf kayaking -- man, that sounds like heaven.
You grew up in Marin but now live in the Sierras, is that right? I remember you mentioning being above 8000 feet once and that's where I've pictured you since. The Sierras' backside, along 395 became my favorite after the first time I drove down to Death Valley; it's one of the alltime, most picturesque highways I've driven. Do you still mess around in boats of some sort or another? Marek ** --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > That boat looks great Marek! "Light" is such an important feature in > > a kayak because so many cool places to kayak that don't have > > convenient boat put-in points. You carry the boat on one side of your > > body so it really matters IMO. Hard shell boats really move faster in > > the water then mine does. > > Thats what I was wondering -- if new inflatables have the rigidity to > slice thru water like a hardshell. > > My experience is with hard shells. In the mid 60s, in high school, a > group of five of us or so made kyacks with fiberglass -- and from a > mold that one of the guys acquired. Really a fairly straight forward > days work to produce a reasonable professional boat (at least for that > era). We originally did rivers (and big creeks) -- but living just > over the hill from the Pacific,we started surf kyacking. The first on > the california coast -- that was our story and we are sticking with > it. At least the first in the Bolinas / Stinson / Drakes coastal areas > of Marin. > > With river boats we pearled badly. But still that was soooo cool. Nose > dug into sand, and the waves push you straight up vertical, quite > high -- and slowly over -- plop face forward and down. We wised up > and modified our boats, moving the cockpits a foot or more back -- and > creating nose fins to widen the breadth of the nose to resist pearling > if the nose started to dive. Having built the boats, we were fearless > in ripping them apart and customizing them. You learn you can do > anything with fiberglass. > > The modified boats worked great and we spent several adventurous > summers kyack surfing. And exploring, way way out beyond the shore > break. Once, I was quite into it, and got quite far out. Could not see > the shore, only hills above it. Suddenly I went "yikes" and started > towards shore -- after getting a strong bang on the botton of my boat. > Seals I hoped. But I was caught in a wonderful space -- beyond my > limits, unexplored, way the f out in this new world of light, water > and quietness. > > > You may find out that you are drawn to a style of kayaking that isn't > > what the one you were going to build is good for anyway. I think you > > should get in the water with whatever you can get your hands on to > > find out what kind of specialized boat you may need in the future. > > You may want a longer boat for ocean kayaking sometime in the future. > > > > I look forward to paddling updates! > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" <reavismarek@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Hey, Curtis, I looked up "dealers" on the site and one of the > > > outdoor stores here in Eureka carries the line but all they had was > > > one of the canoes from the company and not the advanced frame like > > > you have. Although I've been planning to build one of the Pygmy > > > Boats kayaks "someday" it requires a garage which I don't have so > > > I've been also checking out the different boats whenever I go to one > > > of the outdoor stores (of which we have many here in Humboldt). > > > > > > So yesterday, when I went to check out the inflatable from the > > > company that makes yours I saw this little item that caught my eye, > > > > > > http://www.hurricaneaquasports.com/santee-100.html > > > > > > It's a little 10-footer made out of Trylon that I could throw in the > > > back of my small pickup and drop into the bay after work. It's not > > > as sweet looking as the Pygmy kayak but it's as light as yours and > > > small enough to stash behind the house and when I can't go surfing I > > > can still be on the water. And as Rat says in Wind In The > > > Willows, "There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth > > > doing as simply messing about in boats." Well, maybe not *nothing*, > > > but I appreciate the sentiment and am seriously thinking of putting > > > my Economic Stimulus check where my mouth is. > > > > > > ** > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" <reavismarek@> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Curtis, I like your boat a lot and I looked all through the site > > > but > > > > > couldn't find out what the costs were; can you give me an idea > > > of > > > > > what your model costs? > > > > > > > > Around $400. A good paddle will cost about 80 more. I also got a > > > > skirt, not for Eskimo rolls which are impossible with this wide > > > boat, > > > > but to keep chilly water from dripping on you in the Fall. I have > > > > gotten so much pleasure from this boat. I got my GF one for > > > Christmas > > > > so we can paddle down the Swanee river together. (once I find the > > > > Swanee River!) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ** > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > > > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > What a great looking boat! I really like the look of wood. I > > > am > > > > > > suspicious of the claimed weight. For a wood boat that size 39 > > > > > pounds > > > > > > seems too light. That is the weight of my much shorter boat. > > > > > Here is > > > > > > my boat: > > > > > > http://www.advancedelements.com/advancedframe.html > > > > > > > > > > > > It has an inner frame so it tracks well in the water unlike > > > many > > > > > > inflatables. It's portability is the main feature, it is much > > > > > slower > > > > > > than a rigid boat. But for the water I go for, it works great. > > > > > > > > > > > > Great topic! I hope to hear your music soon. I have my CD > > > launch > > > > > > party and show for my second CD tonight at a local blues > > > club. > > > > > Here > > > > > > is a link to my site with my new CD info and a link to hear > > > the 6 > > > > > > originals on the CD. CDbaby.com will have the CD up this > > > week. > > > > > Music > > > > > > is sooo worth the effort. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" > > > <reavismarek@> > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Great story, Curtis, and extremely resonant. Surfing has > > > been > > > > > like > > > > > > > that for me. The first time I backpacked alone in Death > > > Valley > > > > > was > > > > > > > like that for me. Every time I venture across a downed tree > > > > > that > > > > > > > spans a river or a gorge is like that for me. I feel that > > > we > > > > > become > > > > > > > far more potent as human beings as we expose ourselves to > > > > > situations > > > > > > > and circumstances outside our comfort zone; and, as a > > > > > consequence, > > > > > > > the comfort zone expands, too. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm planning on my foray into music making to be one of > > > those > > > > > busta- > > > > > > > moves for me. So far I've been negligent in putting the > > > energy > > > > > in to > > > > > > > practising as much as I should have, but this topic may have > > > > > injected > > > > > > > the extra boost needed. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Are you still using an inflatable or something rigid? For a > > > > > long > > > > > > > time I've planned on building one of the Pygmy Boats kayaks, > > > the > > > > > Coho > > > > > > > ( http://pygmyboats.com/mall/coho.asp ), and that's still my > > > > > plan. > > > > > > > The investigator in my office built one, the Osprey, and > > > it's > > > > > > > beautiful. He goes out all the time and once I arrange the > > > time > > > > > and > > > > > > > the place, I'm planning on having a kayak be my "other car". > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Marek > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ** > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > > > > > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Great topic and great stories Marek and Turq, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I have used objects as anchors for states of mind. One > > > that > > > > > comes > > > > > > > to > > > > > > > > mind was a simple oyster shell that I picked up from the > > > water > > > > > off > > > > > > > > Jane's Island on the Chesapeake Bay. It is not a > > > collector's > > > > > shell, > > > > > > > > it is downright ugly. I keep in my car and run into it > > > when I > > > > > am > > > > > > > > rummaging around looking for something else. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It is tied to a decision I took a few years ago to stop > > > > > telling > > > > > > > people > > > > > > > > who told me that they kayaked that " I would love to do > > > that > > > > > > > someday." > > > > > > > > Living in an apartment, I didn't see how it could happen > > > > > until I > > > > > > > > found a fantastic inflatable kayak. I pumped it up and > > > went > > > > > out on > > > > > > > > the Potomac like a leaf in the ocean and it changed my > > > life! I > > > > > > > > planned a solo trip to Jane's Island which is on one of > > > the > > > > > world's > > > > > > > > biggest estuaries, a primal source of life. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I hadn't camped since I was a kid so I bought a tent and > > > > > headed > > > > > > > out. > > > > > > > > While paddling through the tall marsh grasses,I found > > > myself > > > > > looking > > > > > > > > into the water where so much life begins, crabs, oysters, > > > > > etc. I > > > > > > > saw > > > > > > > > a complete oyster shell, sun bleached out. My voyage > > > around > > > > > the > > > > > > > > island was only impressive for me, because it was so far > > > > > outside my > > > > > > > > box at the time. I didn't wait for someone to do it with > > > me. > > > > > I just > > > > > > > > rolled the dream with what I had, an inflatable boat and > > > an > > > > > idea. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Seeing the shell immediately brings me back to a moment of > > > > > dream > > > > > > > > fulfillment and self re-creation. I became the kind of > > > guy who > > > > > > > > inflates a kayak and heads out to a new body of water just > > > to > > > > > look > > > > > > > > around. It reminds me that such choice points are always > > > > > available > > > > > > > > even though I too rarely, take the plunge down the rabbit > > > > > hole. My > > > > > > > > shell reminds me of that self creative power. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for the reminder of its meaning. I'll have to > > > figure > > > > > out > > > > > > > what > > > > > > > > other area of my life could use a little busta-move energy! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB > > > <no_reply@> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" > > > > > > > <reavismarek@> > > > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Great topic, Turq, I'm interested to hear what people > > > > > write > > > > > > > about. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > An important object for me along these lines is > > > natural > > > > > rather > > > > > > > than > > > > > > > > > > manufactured, but the circumstances of finding it and > > > it's > > > > > > > resonance > > > > > > > > > > with me and its link to my dearest friend has kept it > > > in a > > > > > > > place of > > > > > > > > > > honor wherever I've lived for the last 25 years or so. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It's a single, six-point antler from a Roosevelt Elk. > > > > > It's > > > > > > > about 15 > > > > > > > > > > lbs., approximately 40-inches long, entirely intact > > > but > > > > > along > > > > > > > three > > > > > > > > > > of the tines shows the gnaw marks of the small animals > > > who > > > > > use > > > > > > > > > > fallen antlers as a source of calcium in their diet. > > > The > > > > > marks > > > > > > > of > > > > > > > > > > their teeth on the tips of the antlers are like the > > > chisel > > > > > > > marks in > > > > > > > > > > a stone sculpture. Over time they would have reduced > > > the > > > > > > > antler to > > > > > > > > > > nothing. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I had left Fairfield with my family in 1983, after > > > living > > > > > there > > > > > > > for > > > > > > > > > > 2 years. We had auctioned off everything we had, > > > bought a > > > > > > > trailer > > > > > > > > > > and headed out west as gypsies. A few weeks later we > > > > > found > > > > > > > > > > ourselves in the Pacific Northwest on the Olympic > > > > > peninsula of > > > > > > > > > > Washington staying with a friend, an artist (see, > > > > > > > tocfetch.com), who > > > > > > > > > > had a little house on the cliffs overlooking the > > > Straits > > > > > of > > > > > > > Juan de > > > > > > > > > > Fuca. We parked our trailer in the yard and stayed > > > for > > > > > several > > > > > > > > > > months. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > One day during that period my friend and I were > > > > > bushwacking in > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > > interior of the Olympics, along a ridgeline not too > > > far > > > > > above > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > > Elwha River. Somewhere along the way we got separated > > > > > from one > > > > > > > > > > another. As I was walking through the forest by > > > myself I > > > > > found > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > > antler, all by itself, just pure and pristine. For > > > some > > > > > > > reason, I > > > > > > > > > > had always wanted to find a full antler; it was just a > > > > > long- > > > > > > > standing > > > > > > > > > > desire I had. I was elated and about an hour later, > > > when > > > > > I > > > > > > > joined > > > > > > > > > > up again with my friend I brandished it over my head > > > in > > > > > > > greeting and > > > > > > > > > > in triumph. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > He had found pieces of antlers in the past, but never > > > a > > > > > full > > > > > > > rack > > > > > > > > > > and he couldn't believe that I had stumbled across > > > such a > > > > > > > specimen > > > > > > > > > > in one of my first outings while he hadn't been as > > > > > fortunate > > > > > > > even in > > > > > > > > > > a couple of years of looking. He demanded to know > > > where I > > > > > > > found it > > > > > > > > > > because he wanted to go back and search for the twin. > > > I > > > > > told > > > > > > > him I > > > > > > > > > > had no idea where in the forest it was where I had > > > found > > > > > it and > > > > > > > no > > > > > > > > > > telling whether the elk had dropped the mate in the > > > same > > > > > area > > > > > > > anyway. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > But he wouldn't take no for an answer, and as best I > > > could > > > > > I > > > > > > > led us > > > > > > > > > > to a place in the forest that "looked" like the place, > > > but > > > > > I > > > > > > > really > > > > > > > > > > had no idea. I sat around for over an hour as he > > > > > > > systematically > > > > > > > > > > pored over the forest floor, moving farther and > > > farther > > > > > away in > > > > > > > his > > > > > > > > > > search until he was gone from view. After a long time > > > I > > > > > heard > > > > > > > > > > whooping and hollering and he came back to where I was > > > > > with the > > > > > > > mate > > > > > > > > > > to mine. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > His antler has been prominent in his studio, wherever > > > he > > > > > has > > > > > > > lived > > > > > > > > > > since then, and mine similarly. A good, powerful bond. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Cool. That's exactly what I had in mind. Such > > > > > > > > > objects somehow become a way for us to "link" > > > > > > > > > to moments of power in the past. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
